Young family of four will need RM10k to recover from floods - Stats Dept

 

The Statistics Department has estimated that a young family of four will need RM10,463.30 to recover from floods.

The estimation is based on a model Muslim household that consists of two parents, one child, and one infant.

They noted that the needs of families will differ on their size and scale of damages suffered.

The department's estimate was based on spending in five categories: personal needs, furniture, electrical appliances, services and maintenance, and cleaning tools.

For personal needs, they estimated that the model family would need RM578.24, with the bulk of spending going to clothes (RM322.22).

For furniture, they estimated the family would need RM1,466 for mattresses, sheets, pillows, a wardrobe, a kitchen stove, and other items.

For electrical appliances, the estimated spending was RM3,325.89 for items such as a fridge, washing machine, TV, stand fan, and rice cooker among others.

Services and maintenance of vehicles are the most costly category (RM4,969.44), with the estimated spending to fix a vehicle being RM3,644.44, and the rest of the cost being to fix appliances, wiring, and doors.

The department said their estimate for this category was based on the minimum damage suffered by flood victims.

The least expensive category was cleaning tools at RM96.73.

The estimated spending calculations were released in a Statistics Department newsletter today.

Aid measures

The government has announced a slew of aid measures to help lighten the burden of flood victims.

This includes RM1,000 cash for each family affected, RM2,500 to buy household goods, RM1,000 voucher to repair flooded vehicles, and RM500 voucher to buy electrical goods.

The government will also pay for repairs to homes, with families whose houses were not too badly damaged able to claim up to RM5,000 in compensation.

As for those whose homes suffered serious damages, he said the government itself will manage repairs with a cost of up to RM15,000.

For homes that were destroyed or no longer occupiable after the floods, the government will provide up to RM56,000 to build a new home. - Mkini